Hyperpigmentation: the scourge of black skin

One of the main problems of black skin, which prevents us from having a flawless complexion are dark spots caused by what is known as hyperpigmentation.

The complexion loses its luminosity, dark spots and marks appear. Often, the skin reacts to ‘aggression’ by producing an excess of melanin this is why some part of the face can be darker or black stains can appear.

Cause of hyperpigmentation on black skin

The hyperpigmentation is caused by the increase of melanin which is the substance in the body that determines the color of the skin. When there is an overload of melanin in the skin, the skin will become darker in appearance or hyperpigmented.

There are certain medical conditions and pharmaceuticals that can cause hyperpigmentation. In addition, exposure to the sun is a major consequence of hyperpigmentation and will darken already hyperpigmented areas. That is why the use of a sunscreen is highly recommended by dermatologists. Moreover, the use of creams containing perfume or alcohol can also cause a change in the skin color.

Hyperpigmentation can also be called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This condition can occur after an injury such as a cut, scrape, burn, mosquito bites or after certain skin diseases such as acne or eczema. Inflammation results in overproduction of melanin in the skin. In this case, the development of dark spots can be prevented by treatment against inflammation.

Hyperpigmentation may be caused by pregnancy mask for black women, also known as chloasma is characterized by brown spots on the face. Chloasma usually occurs during pregnancy and disappears naturally after pregnancy.

It is important to know that the oldest tasks are more difficult to fade.
Makeup can hide these tasks and some natural ingredients allow them to fade but it will be much harder to do on the old spots

How to prevent dark spots from appearing on black skin?

When you have acne pimples, you must certainly treat them without squeezing, crushing or scraping.

If you have irritative dermatitis like eczema, use skin moisturizing and anti-itch milk.

For black men, to avoid the ingrown hair at the origin of pimples, it is recommended to shave every 2 to 3 days and soothe the skin from razor burn with an aftershave balm.

Hyperpigmentation treatment for black skin

Nowadays, several treatments have been proven effective against this issue :

Until recently, hydroquinone was the most potent active ingredient for treating hyperpigmentation. It is still available in some over-the-counter preparations in the United States, but only at the maximum concentration of 2%. Hydroquinone can also cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation since it is a skin irritant.

A number of black women use skin whitening products against hyperpigmentation, however, the repeated use of these products are highly dangerous.

For stains related to acne, they gradually fade with the appropriate anti-acne treatments (they are sufficiently exfoliating). For other types of stains (especially those related to wounds or insect bites in childhood) they are more difficult to treat because they are located on an airtight scar seal anti-stain products. In this case, it is necessary to offer coverages to camouflage them.

There are also certain spots like melasma or recurrent acne spots, which will be the subject of medical treatment in the form of a chemical peel performed by the doctor (depending on the intensity of the spot, its location, and age). Glycolic acid or TCA are the two products used for peels on black skin. The laser is not recommended … or by a doctor specialised in black skin!

In term of cosmetics, if hydroquinone is no longer authorised, new active ingredients such as bearberry, konjic acid, nicotinamide or vitamin C, have an action (even partial) on recent spots. There are also certain spots like melasma or recurrent acne spots, which will be the subject of medical treatment in the form of a chemical peel performed by the doctor (depending on the intensity of the spot, its location, and age). Glycolic acid or TCA are the two products used for peels on black skin. The laser is not recommended … or by a doctor specialised in black skin!

You should always consult your dermatologist who will determine with you the best method according to the state of your skin. In all cases, sunscreen is required for the duration of the treatment, but also beyond.